By Chuck Harman – Board member International Fraternity of Wrestlers

The Law – No person in the United States shall, on the basis of gender, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.

A law signed into law on June 23, 1972 by President Richard Nixon, only 37 words.

Some have said a good law applied in a bad way. In Most cases – applied by education institutions in a way that has been interpreted as a need to have corresponding female sport to a male sport in likeness and participation then balance against gender enrollment percentages.

Let me clearly state –I am neither an Attorney nor a Title IX expert only a fairly good researcher and observer of cause and effect.

In my research – it was very clear and well documented one University did in fact drop wrestling as a direct result of title IX. The University was Howard University. It appears that Howard added a number of female sports – like bowling – to try and balance the genders and really didn’t have the interest by the student body to attain a gender balance, resulting in the loss of a wrestling program.

So this brings us back to the intent of the law vs. the interpretation of law. Any common layperson can understand the intent of the law was to offer opportunity for more females to participate in sports while attending an educational institution. It’s hard to believe Richard Nixon would have signed the law if he knew the result would be fewer students in total would have the opportunity to participate in competitive athletics on the college level. However that’s what the result has been.

Perhaps – the law should be amended slightly. Yes it’s within congresses power to do so. Consider this: What if the words “provided the interest for gender participation exists” were added. Seven little words that could be surveyed with every incoming class to determine the correct gender balancing based on interest by a gender to participate in competitive sports in that educational facility or any other program that educational institution had to offer.

Here’s how those words would apply to college sports – Let’s say the gender enrollment and balance is 60% female and 40% male – however the interest levels by gender were 10% for female and 50% for males. This would then dictate the sport participation opportunity for females as 6% and that for males of 20%. Gendered balance based on interest of participation. In actuality creating a system with no discrimination for either male or female athletes and clearly not denying anyone the benefits of participation FOR THOSE WISHING TO PARTICIPATE.

The answer to the question is YES there are causalities to wrestling due to title IX – but just perhaps there is and would have been a better way to fight the battle.